Page 11 - Jehangir Sabavala - TheArtsTrust

governesses would often find this emphasis on human anatomy. He believed that
silent, creative child spending a painter who couldn’t paint a nude would also
time by himself in the house, be unable to paint a landscape. Works such as
building miniature cities using a ‘Nude Study’ in charcoal on paper from 1948
bottles. When the family returned make his preoccupation with the human body
to Bombay, he joined the Cathedral evident. Multiple influential artists such as
and John Connon School. While his R D Dhopeshwarkar and J M Ahivasi also
brother flourished in the school set- taught at the institution, and informed his
up, acing sports and building a wide art. ‘The Festival’, a gouache on paper work
social circle, the introverted Jehangir that was his third-year submission at the
preferred the company of older folk. institution, shows the evolution of Sabavala’s
In 1939, Jehangir visited London techniques, command of colour and themes
to meet a tutor who was to guide him during his studies there. He graduated with
to join the likes of Oxford or Cambridge a diploma in 1944.
for his higher education, but he wasn’t Jehangir, like his mother, wanted to
successful in the interview, and was become an actor, taking elocution lessons,
asked to return to India immediately acting in plays and musicals and even
as World War II was imminent. He left learning the violin. With this in mind, he
Europe on the brink of it being ravaged returned to London in 1945 on the ship
by the Nazis and entered an India that Arundel Castle, with British soldiers. Shot
was on the cusp of monumental change. out of his privileged life aboard a ship
where he shared the duties of swabbing
The Rise of an Academic decks and cleaning toilets, Jehangir had
Sabavala joined Elphinstone College to his first taste of hardship. Upon landing
study English literature with Kamal Wood, in the city, he was sobered by the stark
a famed Shakespeare scholar. Shortly reality of the after-effects of a cruel war
after, in 1942, he transferred himself to Sir but also encountered a burgeoning
Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy School of Art. Here, art community trying to cope as they
principal Charles Gerrard encouraged him knew best, including artists such as
to study at his own pace, even allowing Francis Bacon.
him to skip the formal examinations. This, Although he abandoned his
for Sabavala, was important as it nurtured career in acting, his love for theatre
The artist in the 1940s, his style of learning. A true non-conformist was showcased in his works
beginning to find his at heart, he enjoyed delving into his interests throughout his life. The dramatic
artistic footing
albeit in an unstructured way. flair of his subject’s costumes, the
At Sir J J School of Art, Jehangir would drapes, and the stances, lent to his
develop an interest in life studies, with a special undying fascination with theatre.

9